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Learning how to conquer fear and follow one's dreamsSat, 05 Aug 2017 23:37:59 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngStart Globe Trottinghttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com
Nirvana in Nepal Day 283: A Day from F$&%ing Hellhttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-283-a-day-from-fing-hell/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-283-a-day-from-fing-hell/#respondSun, 27 Sep 2015 11:58:59 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-283-a-day-from-fing-hell/]]>Our guide/porter walked in sandals sans socks to the sometimes frigid cold when in the shadow of the mountains acting either like a badass or an idiot, take your pick.

After breakfast in which I tried to carbo load for the long day ahead of me with fried vegetable potatoes since there would be no stopover village or hut along the way for lunch (we had to reach Lobuche village no question about it), we (the international expedition composed of Israelis and me as the token foreigner) began trekking with Paz’s porter for the first half of the day to pass acting as our guide. It was quite cloudy but Ama Dablam behind us kept peaking out small sections at a time like a beautiful woman teasing the onlooker from behind the shower curtain. We wanted to see more but the environment didn’t permit it. So I kept my head down on the trail in my spot at the rear of the pack (one that I would hold for much of the duration of the trek) as we whipped back and forth through the shallow vegetation keeping on the path as we climbed little by little pushing through the early morning start warming up the muscles in the frigid chill until the sun could properly rise above and through the thickness of the clouds. I kept looking back on occasion at the mountains and the jagged ridges that formed the spine running up to the higher peaks but all they and especially the jaw dropper Ama Dablam could offer was a tease. I wanted to reach out and swat away the clouds or shout my mouselike voice when compared to this land of giants to have her and all the rest to reveal themselves. The clouds wanted them for themselves and we only willing to throw me the spare sight if I times my trance when the climate and weather saw fit. With this in mind I continued the uphill slog luckily able to stop and catch my breath and a swig of weather when the pack deadened their pack for their own sake or perhaps for my slow ass. Occasionally I could see the body of the Lhotse Range and a few of its lower lying 7000+ meter crowns but I wanted it all. I wanted to see Lhotse in all its promise as I drifted right off to the Chinese Tibetan border where Lhotse Shar stood firmly as the watchmen on his post directly on the border. The climb seemed to never end. The ridge up ahead of me as the only thing worth looking at (a depressing sight at that) was steep and it never seemed like I would reach it but on first sight I hoped it was the pass itself signaling the halfway but deep down I knew that that was a total lie but when delirious it is easy to find ways to cheat the mind because at the time it sounds better than the truth but when the lie reveals itself (as I experienced when that ridge was in fact just a stepping stone along the way) it is not just a let down but a shot to how you see the upcoming path (kind of like someone taking your puppy, a dog that you have grown attached to in a short period, out back and hearing the unmistakable sound of a shotgun from afar. Overdramatizing but damn it kills the ego.

After passing an ethereal deep blue lake that offered reflections of the cloudy covering of the peaks that sounded this bowl of a land and the pass itself directly ahead, we charged on knowing the end or rather the end of the first half was near. At the time I thought once I reach that point above all I would need to worry about is the downhill winding path, a tiring pursuit but not as exhausting as striving for each breath and each half step when climbing upwards.

At long last we reached the top and elation overpowered me rocking me back and down to the nearest flattish rock to call it my seat. From what should have been a grand viewpoint I saw jack shit except for the seemingly reachable village of Lobuche down below. After enjoying our celebrations, we began our descent with Anton leading the pack as he disappeared quickly in front of us before the rest of us could the pass too far behind us. It was a long stretch of rocky patches packed yet still loose for an errant step. At times it was more rock climbing or bouldering than trekking with our hands needed to keep balance upon this unsteady surface.

As we were descending with the village of Lobuche always in sight…

My right knee felt broken and done just like my spirit with no views to speak of.

At the bottom we only had to cross a rocky stretch that looked quite small from the top of the pass and for some time as we descended could have been a hop and a skip to reach the other side but we especially I had no idea what we were up against.

Walking through the hell of the up and down path of boulders, loose rocks, and hidden lakes that broke up hidden paths

Upon a long glacier dirtied by rubble rock that crunched with each progressing movement.

Stubborn and impatient standing still with the chill of the wind and droplets of rain gaining strength while I lost mine, I chose to make a move in one direction, in the way I thought best with Paz while the others waited around to make a decision. When we were 100 meters separated from Ori, Stav, and Ido we heard a Hebrew call through the wind. Apparently they found the way but I stubbornly believed it was just another way like all the rest that we had discussed and didn’t feel like wasting my time retracing my steps so I continued on with Paz. The path which wasn’t really a path just one we created for ourselves stumbling across with each teetering step upon the loose boulders and rocks that we gave our full weight to (kind of like Indiana Jones when a wire is tripped; we had to move quickly before our weight collapsed with the rock we were once standing upon). Things looked promising until we ran across a hidden lake impossible to cross. Paz and I debated between going back and rejoining the guys who were following a porter with his basket attached to his back or go across a narrow trace of rocks in between the two and cross there where we could try to catch up to the others. I encouraged the latter and charged for wanting to keep moving with my mind deprived of thought. All I wanted was Lobuche and any logic could not be processed. We crossed over and we were making progress but couldn’t link up to the rest of the group who disappeared beyond the many rocky hills of this deserted hell. We were lost but were getting in the general direction of Lobuche that lay on the other side of lip of the ridge. Luckily the fellas waited atop of the ridge as a lighthouse, a guiding light for our wayward wandering. I was ready to collapse and the thoughts of the movie 127 hours sounded like a legitimate possibility. I kept saying that I looked forward to having daal bhat that I would enter the lodge drop my bag to the floor as I collapsed on the nearest cushion surface I would let out the slightest whisper of ‘daal bhat’. I can’t remember how many times I swore especially with each grouping of boulders and rocks nearly collapsing in on themselves swallowing my ankle like a bear trap.

We made it to Lobuche and after that ridge I moved the quickest I ever had to reach the lodge.

I admitted my major error in decision making but my impatience had taken over.

We got daal bhat working and drank milk tea.

The woman running the lodge spoke the best English I ever heard from the villages along this trek. I enjoyed hearing her take on the earthquake and its affect on the country as a crippling blow but also as a shot in the arm for pride in the country for everyone to work together.

Without having already hear that an earthquake had occurred I would have had no idea one had hit this country based on what I have seen in the little time I have spent in this country.

As a treat I bought two snickers with one of them acting as my dinner

The daal bhat as a late lunch and basically a dinner due to the two massive portions was a godsend

We sat around the fire that was later on powered by yak shit which is a great natural burner without the smell you might expect. The owner knit yak and sheep winter beanie hats that two of our guys bought.

Chatted quite late in the night.

I learned some Hebrew when challenged to learn two words per my choice. I chose ‘beautiful’ and ‘cheap’, two great picks highlighting some hidden Israeli blood I never knew I had.

The end of the trek that took much longer than I ever realized felt like I was walking on a stair master from hell in the middle of a construction site shrouded with clouds while someone (likely one of the construction workers) struck my knees (mainly my right) with a hammer every time I took a step.

There were no views to be found worth pushing me onward and forward so all I could do was slog through the many crummy bits of what lay on the other side of the pass, which did not leave any room for comfort even though a great of the second half of this day’s trek meant going downhill. Downhill is easily the worst thing for my knee with each step compounding the next. I tried taking half steps to throw my right bum knee a bone as much as I could but loose rocks and dirt slid me down quickly out of control at times and the need or undying want to reach Lobuche village which stood as a near presence by perception called me from afar. It was like Odysseus from Homer’s classic of ‘The Odyssey’ who heard the sirens calling from the island and was drawn to its sound. Regardless of how much shit (including yak shit but that’s not exactly what I am talking about) I had to cross to get there which actually accentuated my desires to get there, I had to get there even if it killed me.

My body and mind was deteriorating into a shadow of my former self. If I was staring up at white draped mountain peaks and ranges I likely would have been reinvigorated and had the necessary boost to continue as I should have but the way it stood I was walking like a zombie brain dead which is completely dangerous when you have to watch every step in case of slipping on a loose rock or a wobbly boulder.

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-283-a-day-from-fing-hell/feed/0rottingera91Nirvana in Nepal Day 282: An Insatiable Hunger to Reach the Tophttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-282-an-insatiable-hunger-to-reach-the-top/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-282-an-insatiable-hunger-to-reach-the-top/#respondSun, 27 Sep 2015 11:55:54 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-282-an-insatiable-hunger-to-reach-the-top/]]>I woke up just before 6 am not needing to really pack but still not quite ready to get going

When I joined Ori outside I saw the worst cloud coverage yet of this trip. Other lodges and guesthouses stood around ours but at this foggy time in the morning they were non apparent as if this lodge was the only thing that had ever and would ever exist in this world. I was beaten down and frustrated. Our plan all along began with a less than inspiring start.

We are our expensive oat porridges and read our books for a bit before looking back out the window and noticing the area began to clear out

Quickly we shaped up all our loose ends and got trekking the two of us hoping that today this morning would be our day. The moment was ours and we needed to strike.

I carried across my shoulders in my trekking pants what can be loosely defined as a daypack since I left my real one in Kathmandu due to weight concerns. I brought my essentials in here as I did yesterday freeing my hands to handle my trekking poles that I needed these days more than any others to take off pressure from my aching knees

As we were rising the clouds began to clear. Clouds were still drifting but they were mere streams and not the all-encompassing beasts that we faced earlier. Things were looking up for us, haha.

We continued on scraping away up the trail slowly but surely. The utmost peak we strived for stood at 5550 meters at a fair enough climb from the 4700 meter village of Chukkung.

Each breath was labored not arriving easily to the lungs unless given a proper rest to catch one’s breath like a fleeting strand in the wind or slowly enough that the lungs could keep pace with the rising altitude. During those needed breaks and even when I didn’t really need to I looked off to my side and behind me at the peaks that were now fully in the open no longer hidden behind the curtain of clouds. The pain of the climb was abated by these views. I knew that if I continued climbing higher and Mother Nature blessed me in this time that I would see views better than this and beyond whatever my imagination could conjure.

After much longer than I had expected when it looked so much within reach when stood at the base of the valley, we reached the ridge where the path divided to the lesser Chukkung Ri, the balder vegetated sister of Chukkung Ri which was looming to the right in a cloak of jagged black.

The ridge had many Tibetan prayer towers made by slabs of stone and even some prayer flags

We had great views from this point with Ama Dablam the beautiful alluring temptress standing tall over Chukkung village at 6800+ meters. She may not be as tall as the 8000 meter and many other 7000 meter peaks that pierce the clouds and sky in this realm but is one of the most impressively beautiful peaks rising steeply without abandon that one has to wonder how anyone could possible rise to its summit. She would need to be a kind girl on that fateful day. We continued up to lesser Chukkung Ri summit where we took our pictures before enjoying the views for ourselves.

Ama Dablam felt so close beautiful and scenic standing out from wide stretching ridge that was covered thoroughly in snow and ice with an artist’s stroke of streaks filing down the ridge.

The sky was perfectly clear without barely a cloud in the sky. I couldn’t believe it yet thankful to my last bone to be blessed so fortuitously on this day and morning.

Island peak staring at us from far away. The peak fit its name with the summit rising from behind one of the many icy ridges in our panorama.

Beyond past all the rocky ashy and construction-like rubble of the unimpressive valley past the ridge stood another peak I can’t figure out the name for but was special looking like the stereotypical cliche peak that any director or artist would want in his picture or on his canvas.

We enjoyed the views for a long time. When I find a good view I want to stay long as possible. I worked hard for it and these views don’t come often so I want to savor it and give it its due justice.

As clouds were beginning to really take shape even though they are already had strong form in its infancy from way down the trail likely near Namche Bazaar we decided to get moving on to the real Chukkung Ri so that we could get up close view of the Lhotse range before disappeared altogether.

The climb up Chukkung Ri sucked with it being composed of mostly just rocky rubble. We had to walk on the edge of it mostly with many paths that winded this way and that that I wasn’t sure which way to take while trying to keep my balance and not fall to my death

We eventually reached the top of Chukkung Ri, a nice accomplishment and appropriate practice for tomorrow when we would be tackling our first first pass of the aforementioned trek name.

Staring at Lhotse range which was partly covered in cloud

The village of Chukkung and the rest of its low resting valley was covered completely in white puff but all the good stuff, the many glacial mountains remained untouched although Ama Dablam was likely the first to be tainted.

We saw Lhotse slowly getting covered by clouds and moved in its direction to get an up close view before it disappeared.

We had to climb up steep pure jagged black rock to the top but there the Lhotse range was with two of the 8000 meter peaks standing high and mighty down the line towards Tibet. We got to hear some of the cracks of thunder that reverberated from the falling glacial chunks collapsing to the bottom.

Before the peaks were taken over prisoners to the clouds and inclement weather, we sat for as long as we could to enjoy these mountains because I can’t guarantee another day or view like this with unstable weather killing my normally mountain mood.

I like many things in this world like peanut butter, playing football (soccer), a damn good salad, watching films, etc. but I love, love nature and mountains are the cream rising to the top untouchable to plenty of other non-essentials so when I am denied of this it hurts. But I guess I need to appreciate the unpredictability and luck that is so intrinsic to nature and when I am blessed with its jewels in its penultimate form I should value more for how rare it can be.

We descended and stopped to chat with Paz for awhile about sports, the mountains, and apparently the differences in how we term liquor. We joked that after a long hike we need a porter specifically to act as a messenger boy to the next village that we will be staying to get daal bhat cooking so that I have a hot fresh plate waiting for me when I arrive.

Daal bhat because it is the way, the only way to survive out here and it never disappoints

Checking map to see which peaks we viewed from our high point

Chatting with the guys; the two Israeli guys (helicopter from Kathmandu to Tengboche then trekked to here) that attempted island peak but were denied by the mountain when an unstable spread of snow and glacier called them back (couldn’t be crossed)

All six of us stayed hanging in the dining room chatting away about the most random of topics with me getting lumped in as a Jew with the various money and other stereotypes thanks mostly to the crazy yet conversation stirring two Israelis that just came back to the lodge

Sherpa Stew, delicious

Continuing chat hours on end. Loved the conversation and brotherhood. As much as I like the isolation of the mountains especially in the offseason it’s nice to be able to talk to people and cool people at that

Checked out stars, chatted some more, and then went to sleep needing as much of it as I could for a long day that we guessed could be nine to ten hours long over confusing passage

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-282-an-insatiable-hunger-to-reach-the-top/feed/0rottingera91Nirvana in Nepal Day 281: Cloudy with a Chance for More Cloudshttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-281-cloudy-with-a-chance-for-more-clouds/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-281-cloudy-with-a-chance-for-more-clouds/#respondSun, 27 Sep 2015 11:54:14 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-281-cloudy-with-a-chance-for-more-clouds/]]>After breakfast which came in the form of veg fried rice for substance and price over quality, we departed Dingboche for Chukkung not far from here where we planned to leave our bags for the night and make a day hike up to Chukkung Ri which promised views of some 8000 plus meter summits given good weather of course

In this early morning we finally witnessed the ice scraped mountains that eluded yesterday. Most mornings offer you this but then you get snatched of this like a sweet tooth child and his lollipop

We went for Chukkung with me keeping good pace with Anton and Ori and then as we closed in on the village the skies at long last opened up. I had no idea how long this moment would last but I tried to enjoy it for what it was

The first mountain to my right was of no great renown, nothing special; a Himalaya mountain dusted properly with snow and clenched by ice but more greater peaks were promised to me by this region. I stopped, letting both Anton and Ori further distance the two of themselves from me as I stared up at this mountain blankly but happy as ever. Hopefully this would be a sign of more to come

My knee was killing me, slowing my pace

As I close in on Chukkung some further mountains beyond this village showed themselves giving me hope that the weather would hold up for our climb up Chukkung Ri

We walked through the village and no one stood in sight and barely a sound beyond the whisp of the wind passing through between the buildings

As I further made my impression in the village I began to hear some banging which to me could have either been men working on a lodge/guesthouse hammering away at the wood or Anton as the lead desperately banging on a random door out of hopes for any guesthouse to be open. A deserted village would have greatly compromised our plans

After getting directed by one of the men working on the construction of a new lodge, we found the only place in town open in this preseason of trekking.

For a lodge in the Himalayas the place looked immaculate. Unfortunately it was going to cost us. The rooms would be 200 each even though asked for it to be free since we would be eating all of our meals here (touché to him since he had the only working kitchen in town) and daal bhat had already risen to 600, the highest benchmark for what Maciek said I should expect on the trail but then again I was veering off from where we had trekked.

We met a couple of Israelis of course who were going to attempt Island Peak tomorrow. The two of them were a good chat with entertaining energy

After stocking up on a snack of peanut butter and granola bars which I have all but killed, we said goodbye to the two other Israelis and began heading off for Chukkung Ri. <<I love peanut butter far too much but more so when I am constantly trekking whenever I get a break to rest (because my hunger is abated while I continue moving) I am always hungry with the way I quickly churn through calories>>

As we were leaving the lodge a thick monster of a cloud swept in covering all the peaks I had once been looking at and bringing down my hopes for what I might see from above

The mountains have their own climate and ecosystem and one that no one can predict with too much accuracy

Most of the day the mountains have an unmistakable gravitational pull on the clouds as if the altitude climes up their are too cold and they need the puffy white blanket to keep them warm

The climb up to the plateau or valley that leveled off before rising again to the two sisters of Chukkung Ri was a challenge when compounded by my knee problems but I mostly kept pace with Ori and Anton

Anton continued on without breaking stride with a bloodlust for reaching the top of the climb despite no mountains whatsoever being in view but Ori and I decided that climbing so high giving so much of ourselves physically with no reward was fruitless and pointless. The two of us climbed to our right to a bump mounded up from the valley to get some view without sacrificing any further.

As Anton kept climbing his figure disappearing little by little as his presence dwarfed into the path that represented the same color as he, Ori and I looked at the large blooms of clouds that would swept in quickly and off to the left in the direction of what we later discovered was the Lhotse ridge/glacier but was soon replaced by the next wave that passed through. The clouds came in wave after wave unrelentingly without ceasing its presence. Only every once in awhile would the clouds offer a gap or window into what stood behind where we could peak in at the tease of the mountains. I came here for the mountains and so far I had been repeatedly denied but this was not my choice nor did I have any say in the matter. We saw peaks, their uppermost tips, bases of the mountains where the glacial snow streamed and spread out like the roots of a tree, and the center of one Lhotse range which was a large chunk of ice and glacier that showed its width only somewhat as the window scanned from right to left. Realizing the possibility of its immensity but knowing not its true dimensions drove me mad. My curiosity, my love for nature needed an answer of some form. I couldn’t leave and continue on not knowing.

Ori and I chatted and got to the core of what I happened. It seemed like he and Anton were on a race to complete the three passes trail loop and wouldn’t spare an extra day here in Chukkung. Luckily Ori felt as I did and wanted to leave early tomorrow morning and try to reach the peak in that almighty morning window when the clouds cleared and offered an open sky that highlighted the many ghost white summits characterized by their wrinkles wrought from many glaciers falling and opening up its hidden layers of black stone rock.

After relaxing there for quite some time watching the unending show of clouds repeatedly entering the realm while hiding behind a boulder as our wind shield that also acted as the base of one of two piers for the Tibetan prayer flags.

Pulled words out of an old British man and his Sherpa before beginning our descent

We crossed paths with a solo Israeli which just blows my mind

I am surrounded by Israelis that along with the fact many people think I am Israeli I feel like I am turning into one. One Nepalese cycle rickshaw driver in Thamel, a borough of Kathmandu, refused to believe I wasn’t Israeli after telling him I was American a few times

Back at the lodge I first hunted down some water from the river. Most of it looked unclean but I found an offshoot that stayed clear and enough to be worth drinking. It was an agonizing short walk to reach and when there I lazed around guzzling the water down. Once again back at the lodge I ate daal bhat with veg curry which is a mound of rice with a lentil soup and stir fried root veggies. The food is good in its own right but the kicker is that it is an all you can eat plate. Typically two servings is enough. When you have to pay such astronomical prices out here in the mountains a truly filling meal like this is the most savory and economical way to go.

Lazed around in my room reading before the tiredness from the past couple of days as well as today caught up to me and I began napping away.

Finished off the peanut butter in a sad display when I should be saving it as a snack when I most desperately need it. Oh vell

I awoke to relax in the dining room which is all what we have turned into a chill room but is rather the place to go to keep warm since in the evenings they turn on the central heater

I chatted with the solo Israeli named Paz before Ori and Anton joined us

It was determined that Ori and I would in fact be waking up once again at 6 am for breakfast before quickly rising to Chukkung Ri in the morning

I ate a cheese two egg omelette for 400 rupees which is roughly under four dollars (yeah, expensive even for America but when your body demands you have no choice)

The four of us chatted for a long while till 9 pm which was way past our bedtimes

For being the only American and non-Israeli I appreciated them being so willing to converse in English even if they weren’t necessarily talking to me so that I could always chime in

Read for a bit but sleep swept me away quickly

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-281-cloudy-with-a-chance-for-more-clouds/feed/0rottingera91Nirvana in Nepal Day 280: Bend But Not Breakhttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-280-bend-but-not-break/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-280-bend-but-not-break/#respondSun, 27 Sep 2015 11:50:10 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-280-bend-but-not-break/]]>After eating breakfast at 6 in the morning (I chose to eat my granola bars and peanut butter out of my protest to the price of food on the trail: the peanut butter disappearing all too quickly before my eyes) we began hitting the trail

I got my first views of snow capped mountains that surrounded the bowl of Namche but the joy of that quickly disappeared when clouds swept in and hugged the mountain peaks with an unmistakeable gravitational pull (the sky in between the mountains provided the only blue in the sky and the only chance for the sun to peak itself upon us

Passed many children dressed in their uniform clothing walking their way to school. Think about walking that everyday as your daily commute for school

Around one corner above canyons that dipped all the way down to the river that carved it, we were supposed to see distant views of Everest and other great peaks framed by the ridges arching at a V to the canyon but of course the clouds had to spoil the day and give me worry that this them would continue for much of the trek.

I was still trekking out of season (in this later half of September when the high season of October really starts to kick in) even though we had largely put the monsoon rains behind us but apparently the clouds decided to continue to linger

Anton was leading a killer pace that neither I nor Ori could compete or keep up with

I kept at my pace especially as my knee continued to nag from its initial occurrence while descending from Hem Kund

Both never stopped so I continued to drift behind as I drank my water and refilled it again from the streams while trying to enjoy the otherwise non-stellar scenery that choked the fun out of the essence of the trek. As much as I enjoy a physical pursuit as any other junkie, without the views of the mountains I came here specifically for the point of the trek and the trip would be pointless and lost on me.

I went past village after village thinking that the next one would be the one I would need to call for an early night partly out of fear I was pushing myself too high too fast before I could get properly acclimatized

We stopped for lunch and once again I ate veg momos

We continued on all the way to Dingboche surprising myself as far as how long and high I could climb after a long day the day prior

Anton arranged for free rooms as long as we ate our meals there

Dingboche was depressingly dreary with a gray smoke of clouds refusing to disappear

So damn cold. I haven’t taken shower in far too long but I refuse to take a cold shower and a hot shower is beyond expensive

I ate a Sherpa stew but it was simply not enough. I needed my first taste of Himalayan daal bhat bad.

I continued reading Into Thin Air inspiring me onward through the mountainous terrain partly walking in the author’s footsteps and also revealing to me the dangers of such feats as I rapidly drifted to sleep

Trekking as much as I have so far has meant only trekking, sleeping, and eating with some reading filling in the gaps before my energy is completely stolen from for the day until I repeat the process for the following day

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-280-bend-but-not-break/feed/0rottingera91Nirvana in Nepal Day 279: My First Steps Towards Everesthttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-279-my-first-steps-towards-everest/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-279-my-first-steps-towards-everest/#respondSun, 27 Sep 2015 11:47:51 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-279-my-first-steps-towards-everest/]]>Woke upat 4:30 amto be picked up for my taxi ride to domestic airport, which was no yet opened when I arrived and wouldn’t be until5:30 ameven though the flight wa scheduled to take offat 6:15 am

Quick proceedings through security and then on to waiting at the gate. I remembered Maciek’s advice to get the window seat on the left side of the plane to Lukla with the best being directly behind the cockpit. Waiting ready at the gate for the ticket man to show up. Last one on bus, first one on the plane. I waited for everyone to board before I got my seat near the door

Boarded plane first with the seat recommended by Maciek

Plane maybe a 20 seater with it being the smallest plane I have ever flown in. Open cockpit so I could watch pilots fiddle with the controls

Take off

Kathmandu valley beautiful in its own right with its steeply terraced hilly terrain. Unfortunately very cloudy but it provided a unique perspective of the mountains far away of the Everest range. The tallest mountains in the world were hidden for the longest time until poked/punched through into a different stratosphere. The snow capped mountains sat on a silver platter of cotton or rose up from a flat desert of puff.

The plane never rose higher than those highest of mountains

Better than anything my dreams could have divined

Mountains stood far away but felt within reach and soon enough I would be walking amongst the peeking out and up for an inspiring view from the viewpoints

Landed on the shortest runway I have ever seen with it clinging to the edge of a cliff’s edge and disappearing from it in all actuality

Got my bag, ate peanut butter and granola bars for breakfast before walking into Lukla village, a developed village at that so that I could find the official trailhead for the trek to EBC

I kept asking anyone with possible know how which usually meant trying with the trail checkpoint attendants what the status of the three passes trail was. I wanted to enlarge the trek I originally planned for to EBC. Covering higher elevation, crossing glaciers and snow, and getting greater up close viewpoints of the surrounding peaks

Even early on when the views didn’t show high snow capping peaks I still stopped enough looking at the land aghast. This was truly gods country

Trekking through village upon village digging my way through the pine filled forests

Prayer wheels all over the place large and small, spun them for good fortune

Monasteries, prayer flags everywhere, stupas

Talked to kid for a bit who was heading to namche bazaar to his school

Many people around here speak fairly good English

Chatted with Israeli group who shared with me their freshly brewed coffee and tea

Many many steps that rose unforgivingly

Crossed over river many times over bouncing freely hanging bridges

Rain: a lighter rain but the raincoat made me feel like I was wearing a sweatsuit

Passed many Sherpas and porters, carrying weights that went beyond 30 kg of solid rock, full size doors, etc.

The climb from one side of the river by way of a steep overhanging bridge and continuing on to the area that held Namche was grueling. Views were nonexistent due to the cloud coverage and rain killed the spirit even further.

Mini yak hybrids on trail

Finally in namche bazaar which is the centre of Sherpa activity

Gave away my knock off trekking shoes for free when I saw a shoe repair shop that was actually closed after passing a stream that normally had spinning prayer wheels but were getting repaired at the moment

Ate dal bhat, mound of rice, with its staple limitless helpings

Guys trying to tell me I can’t go three passes trek by myself which I found discouraging and then they said I should get a guide here but I wanted to avoid that at all cost which would not only add costs but also infringe on my freedom

Looking for a room

First $2 but then full?

Met an Israeli who asked to find out if I was an Israeli. We got to talking and he and his friend are doing the three passes trek as well and would be leaving tomorrow. Even though people tend to stay in Namche for an acclimatization rest day I already knew I wanted to continue and felt confident based on my previous trekking experiences in the Himalayas. He pointed me to the guesthouse he was staying.

Guesthouse was 50 rupees per night as long as you ate dinner there and the food is extremely overpriced there which is where they make their money on the food and not on the room (porters lug the food from the portions of the Valley and other surrounding valleys exacerbating the price with each kilometer but I was surprised it had risen so quickly on just my first night on the trail)

The two guys highlighted their loose plan for how and where they wanted to trek with a speedy timeframe but I agreed to join them needing support for my own safety over what was discussed as possibly unsteady tracks and those that could be lost. A lucky convenience to find them I thought

Ate expensive veg momos but they were good to be fair with a nice green cheese sauce

We chatted about our travels including our shared yet separate experiences while touring the far north of India. I was jealous to hear about their memorable times trekking the Markha Valley, an area I sorely wanted to visit and was denied thanks to over abundant rain the swept its valleys

Got myself to bed since we would be starting early as is the way with trekking

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/27/nirvana-in-nepal-day-279-my-first-steps-towards-everest/feed/0rottingera91Expecting the Unexpected in India Day 273: Wandering and Wonderinghttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-273-wandering-and-wondering/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-273-wandering-and-wondering/#respondTue, 15 Sep 2015 17:10:17 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-273-wandering-and-wondering/]]>Woke up trying to sleep in as much as I could which wasn’t much since the fan could keep the growing heat at bay for only so long

Got me some breakfast of paratha, channa, and curd

Walked ghats including the burning ghat: tears of family even got me emotional, it was special, raw experience

Walked to Assi ghat since Reut and Rafa hadn’t gotten back to me yet

Walked into random field out of curiosity: gambling, nice photos of older buildings with water background, soup kitchen turned movie set, I got to talk to one actor of this Bollywood film who was like the villain of a Liam Niasin film as the kidnapper

Many touts

Went to one shop thinking maybe just once I might get an overview of how they were made but I was getting sold on it. I am sick and tired of it. Always selling

Working my way through the alleyways

Large Assi ghat for shiva and shiva Linga

Expensive cafe

I talked to this one kid not out of choice but like I said every Indian has to say something. He tried to act like someone older as if he were a guru or teacher. He didn’t like when I kept asking for his age but I wanted to put that runt in his place. He did buy me chai but I didn’t want at first thinking I would either get poisoned or he wanted me to pay

Boat calls

Talked to a tout but he was cool explaining me a lot about the burning ghat including the six situations in which a person or animal isn’t burned and rather placed whole in the river

Finally was able to meet up with Raffa and Reut, smoked some and spent some time around a real teacher

Skipped the puja ceremony and instead explored the northern ghats along the river after first winding lost through the streets worse so when the power was out

Hearing about reut’s first experience in Indian most interestingly when she traveled with a guru in the mountains staying in caves and being on the edge when storms came through but learning much from the man as far as how in touch he was with nature and the earth

Got to see our own little puja ceremony along the northern ghats without the fanfare and commotion and noise

Winding back through the streets, stopping at some shops for them. Unreal amount of traffic impossible to move through.

Watched a funeral ceremony procession pass by amidst this

Ate at a different restaurant and had myself a filling thali with various paneer dishes, rice, dal, roti, sabzi

Went to their hotel and had beers on their rooftop with smokes, passing the time enjoying the darkness, each other’s company, and the quiet from above. Great people and a shame they all can’t continue to say in our lives

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-273-wandering-and-wondering/feed/0rottingera91Expecting the Unexpected in India Day 257: The Golden Templehttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-257-the-golden-temple/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-257-the-golden-temple/#respondTue, 15 Sep 2015 16:53:47 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-257-the-golden-temple/]]>After waking up in a sweat in my hot pilgrim dormitory, I went to get a disappointing rendition of Amritsar’s famous kulcha for breakfast. After doing so, I entered the hallow grounds of Sikh’s most holy place at the Golden Temple. The temple has strict requirements to keep it as clean as it is with washing of the feet in a shallow bath after leaving one’s shoes at the shoe house, covering one’s head with a bandana cloth if not wearing a turban, and not smoking or drinking alcohol as I was told by the long sword toting guard at the entrance. The main square enclosure is not technically the golden temple itself because that actually rests in the middle of the water tank connected by a walkway. The water tank contains water at a depth I am not sure of but far deep enough for the Sikhs and anyone else willing to bathe in its holy waters to cleanse their sins. It didn’t take long for people to engage me since I was surprisingly one of the few white people/foreigners around which surprised me for being such a famous place in India but maybe its position 30 km from the Pakistan border has deterred others. Most wanted pictures or a short chat but one Sikh wanted to spend more time with me. The guy was a bit of a nut but he was willing to show me around the temple to explain some things I would have had no other way of knowing while mixing in some of his wily eyed opinions. The water was extremely clean aside from the fact Sikhs from all over the world come here to bathe in its waters as part of their pilgrimage. We walked around the square composed of mostly all white pure marble?

All the priests in their individual corridors revolved around the square bordering of the water and temple reading from the holy book which happens to be their 11th guru and is treated like a living being in a way. They continue reading it all the way through and takes over 2 days nonstop

Waving wand of feathers over the book (Royal/holy treatment or to just swat away flies)

Amritsar is a hot area but the base and center for Sikhs with Punjab being the state for all this. Lahore is another important place but has been placed on the other side of the border thanks to the British desire to break up the strength of the Sikhs and Punjabs because they were the greatest warriors who had to always deal with invaders from the west such as the Mughals, they were the first line of defense not necessarily out of choice but they would join the fight regardless

10 gurus with one starting the religion, 9th/10th creating the army

Tiny swords at their hilt as a sign of defense, to defend the innocent

One man who died over religion, Mughals wanted to convert everyone to Islam. He fought with his beheaded head held in his hand with his other arm fighting off the enemy

Dipping into water five times

Separate quarters for women dipping to be in privacy

The guys dropped down to just their underwear and of course turban

Constant chanting, singing of the readings from the holy book

The guy loved talking about politics and his own problems, I tried helping him out with it because he is in the midst of depression and I had my own bouts but he was too concerned with himself. I need to learn how to disengage from people more but my nature is to always help people

Water bowls at all four corners

People walking around square, talking pictures, dipping, respect

Went through the long line, made sure to have my long pants on despite the heat for respect even though not necessarily needed, to golden temple. Roof and some of core is pure gold. Crowded but great experience to feel the vibe of the place. People giving donations, kneeling to ground and then placing forehead onto floor. Beautiful singing.

No photos inside

Three levels high of prayer, gold, holy books

Each holy book is equal, none greater than another

Received a prasad which was a sugary mixture scooped by hand into my own, emphasis in religion is to always give to others because it started for those in need the poor

The poor and rich for prayer and meal should sit equally side by side with no one’s head rising above the other, equals

Went to his pilgrim house room and met his family, mother suffering from cancer. He asked if I had American medicine that could help her. Clearly he was delirious. Just because I am American doesn’t mean I carry around hospital grade medicine for those severe cases

We went to eat at a great restaurant eating amazing kulcha paratha (paneer, aloo, gobi, and pomegranate seeds, plus spices) and lassi and he paid for it

Went separate ways

I went memorial park where years ago Brits massacred many punjabis, many jumped into a well to escape the bullets but of course died from the fall

Visited McDs for wifi and air-con

Went back to temple because I love the place, the people, and feel of it

Said nut again and said goodbye

Met this kid, the Slumdog scam

Went into golden temple again because again why not?

Watched the book closing ceremony: put book to sleep on its fresh, clean blankets and clothes and then carried on the head to its bed

Golden temple was a stunner at night when the light was at its greatest contrast

Made plans to see kid again tomorrow morning

Went to bed or at least tried. It was far too hot but I needed what sleep I could get since I wanted to get up for sunrise

Bought share taxi to border and back

]]>https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/expecting-the-unexpected-in-india-day-257-the-golden-temple/feed/0rottingera91Nirvana in Nepal Day 278: Last Day of Preparationhttps://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/nirvana-in-nepal-day-278-last-day-of-preparation-2/
https://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/nirvana-in-nepal-day-278-last-day-of-preparation-2/#respondTue, 15 Sep 2015 14:29:43 +0000http://startglobetrotting.wordpress.com/2015/09/15/nirvana-in-nepal-day-278-last-day-of-preparation-2/]]>Packing up bag figuring I would be taking the smaller day pack a trekking buddy of Maciek’s left behind

I panicked when I realized I wouldn’t be able to fit what I needed into the bag

Thought I would have to buy or rent a bag but decided to stick with the massive body bag I have carried all this time

Packing, unpacking, re packing

Samosas and momos with spicy sauce

Saying goodbye to Maciek once again

Starting to download music to iPod so that I can finally listen to legitimate music for the first time in a long time

Bought some stuff at supermarket

Took cycle rickshaw to Nepali tourism office to get detailed information on the Everest area especially concerning areas off the main path to Everest base camp

Price was surprisingly high but I asked the cashier who gave me the price. Maybe it is me as a pragmatic paranoid Indian traveler I felt like there was so conspiring against me between the two

Bumping ride but I got there

Sadly I forgot my detailed map and unfortunately the man offered little help except for telling me most people in the area will be able to speak the basics of English to help me and that I need to ask locals when I get there about specifics

I walked back to Thamel, the backpacker district and got my glasses fixed after months worth of duct tape glory. I really in all likelihood didn’t need to wait this long but I was stubborn and enjoyed the preposterous fashion statement

Bought expensive trekking boots/shoes from Northface outlet store when many cheap varieties line every street but after dealing with the knock off quality that fell apart I needed to go with something reliable especially considering good shoes and a good backpack are the two most important things when traveling and should never be a point where you are cutting corners on your budget

Bought trekking pants and sleeping bag after some negotiating

Drank some of the best chai masala tea I ever had at west tandoori and naan house

Checking back into guesthouse, arranging taxi in the early morning that got that much earlier when the flight was moved to 6:15 am take off, maybe I can watch sunrise over the Himalayas?

Got my bag organized as much as I could and found some items I had long been missing, even for a relatively small compartment there are hidden dead spots or black holes that give back every once in awhile

Watched Nepalese try to negotiate a full sized van through a tight corner alley with inches to spare that caused there to be a roadblock

Went to Places coffee shop and restaurant with the sole intent of using their wifi to download music

Went to eat at Western Tandoori and Naan House for likely my last real meal because I will be living off of dhal bhat for many, many days ahead when I plan to navigate the wilderness albeit well traveled wilderness for two to three weeks

Continuing to catch up writing and getting my music uploaded

I am the only one to go to a club and bar just for the wifi. I sat there drinking my requisite beer at the bar front uploading music and writing while everyone else came here clearly for other purposes

Met up with Thomas and Renee at Western Tandoori for lunch: garlic naan and paneer masala and not to be forgotten chai masala tea, a satisfying brew of spices

Drifted off from Renee and Maciek so that I could get some things on my checklist taken care of in time for the big trek in two days

Walked the many bumping roads packed with people but more tame able than anything India has thrown at me

Got permit for sagarmatha NP which is for the Everest region

Bought TIMS card which registers me as a trekker and specifically a independent trekker and allows them to possibly find me in case anything unfortunate may occur to get my whereabouts

Tried to get more information about the region for my own safety and sanity when veering off the normal EBC trail but I had to wait till tomorrow

Walked back

Tried to negotiate prices for certain items I needed but I thought for knock off many were far too overpriced

Bought water purifying tablets, water bottle, compass, batteries

Met up with Maciek and Renee at Places Cafe

Relaxed with not so great wifi

Looked around at various Internet cafes so that I could skype my family

It was great to chat with them after awhile and for what will be likely awhile. Hard to believe it has been more than 9 months since I have seen them in the flesh. I told them about my excitement for life, how my life although cloudy is beginning to come into picture, sharing some of my inspirational quotes I have been thinking about to myself, telling them about men like Into Thin Air author who did menial jobs for a long time unsure of the what they genuinely wanted to do for a career but worked for the time being to serves their life passions and purposes

Movies, including one Hindi film called PK that challenges a lot of the notions about religion in India in a humorous way to basically say there is one God that we all believe in and we just worship and see him in different ways

Thali at a standard shop

Fruit and veggies: apples, pears, cucumbers

Being in my own world where I could hide from the intrusive intense Indians lurking outside waiting for me to take one step out the door and into the heat